Revelation (The Forever Series Book Three) (5 page)

He grunts at Gregor’s name. “Be safe, my love. Don’t let him
touch you anymore than you have to,” he growls at me and I giggle.

“Yes, sir,” I say quietly and he chuckles then as CK glowers
at me.

“I like that. You can call me that from now on,” he says
cheekily and I snort in amusement. “Cocky, aren’t you? Do I need to punish you
for your brazen remark?” I ask with a massive grin on my face.

“Anytime,” he whispers and I feel CK’s eyes on me. I know he
can hear our entire conversation but he really shouldn’t be eavesdropping. Says
me.

“Sit on that till I get back.”

“Oh, I will. Oh and before I forget, ring Devon. He’s
getting pissy.” And with that he hangs up on me, deliberately to rile me and I
shake my head at the phone.

“What problem?” CK asks.

Bringing my attention back to him I say, “It’s nothing. At
least not yet.”

“Nico will help you fix it,” he offers and I smile my
thanks.

“That might not be such a bad idea. Thank you,” I say and he
shrugs. He is shirtless and just in sweats and again I am amazed at how
wonderful he looks. And how young. I forget that technically he is still
twenty, just like I will forever be sixteen. Two thousand plus years under his
belt doesn’t change that.

“What?” he asks as I continue to peer closely at him.

“I forget sometimes, how young you are. I mean human-age
wise,” I add as his eyebrows shoot upward.

He laughs, “Oh, my sweet. You do have the capacity to still
surprise me. I haven’t been called young since I was a boy.”

I move towards him and he drops his legs flat and like
yesterday I crawl up onto his lap, my hands stroking his face.

I am itching to ask him about his childhood, but it’s off
limits. I can delve into the highlights with my new and improved magick brain,
but I wish he would tell me.

As ever he reads my thoughts,  “Isn’t it all in your head
already?”

“Just some hard facts. No feelings, my love. Just once I
wish you would tell me,” I whisper.

“Maybe another time. Right now we have other things to do,”
and with that the subject is closed as always, as he takes my mouth in a soft
kiss, running his hands down my back. Always so good with the distraction I
lose myself in him as I free him and slide down his length until he is filling
me right up. I move over him pushing him as far into me as possible and he
groans as feels my desire for him. Dropping his fangs he holds the back of my
head as he bites down on my neck as I continue to slowly move my hips over him.
Releasing his bite he plunges his tongue into my mouth fangs still bared,
scraping at my skin. I feel myself respond and as I Shift I drag my claws down
his perfect chest drawing blood. Careful not to touch me with his, he lets me
mark him, which is an unusual act for him. Growing bold and knowing he won’t be
pleased, I bring my thumbs up together on his chest and draw them out and down
slowly, deliberately to opposite ends, finishing with a quick slash through the
middle. He stares down at the massive blood red “A” I have drawn on him and he
growls, pulling my mouth to his as it already heals. The fire burning inside me
erupts then and he moans into my mouth as he feels me throbbing around him.
Pushing my hips further down onto him, he comes as well and we both stay there
not moving for a while.

“Sorry,” I mumble eventually. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why not?” he catches me by surprise.

“I know you don’t like it, because of… you know...” I refer
to his making, the details of which I am not really supposed to know, but I now
understand his issue with clawing and why it is a no-no.

“I didn’t mind that,” he says slyly and my eyes widen.

“Oh, really? You like being branded as mine?” I ask boldly.

His eyes narrow at my tone, “Watch yourself, Aefre, you may
be The Power of One, and you may know what happened but you are still mine to
punish as I see fit.”

I inhale sharply at his unexpected words. After yesterday I
didn’t think he would ever say that to me again.

“I don’t have to physically hurt you to punish you,” he
murmurs cryptically and I hope that I never have to find out what that means.

Climbing off him abruptly, I change the subject, “We had
better get showered and changed. I am in the mood to push Gregor hard today. I
want this over.” I stalk off, leaving him sitting there fuming that I dare to
walk away from him.

He finds me in the shower and joins me after a moment. I
turn my back to him and he pulls me close. “Don’t sulk with me, Aefre. It’s not
an attractive quality.” His words infuriate me and I sulk even more with him to
his amusement.

“I like this,” he says quietly. “Waking with you, fucking
you, showering with you before we go to work together. This is how it should
be,” he says wistfully as he stands under the shower jet and the water pounds
down onto him.

Hm, wet CK is very, very sexy. He senses me watching him and
grins before he pushes me against the wall and lifts me, plunging into me
without preamble I drop my fangs and he tilts his head to the side. Feeding
from him while he fucks me to an orgasm is definitely high on my list of
favorite things to do and all thoughts about his cryptic threat leave me.

Finding a wardrobe full of clothes that he--well actually I
assume Marguerite--bought for me, I sift through them unable to decide what
might entice Gregor to up his game.

“He likes class,” CK says to me from the other side of the
door where he is fixing up his tie in the mirror.

I pull the door closed and he frowns at me, as he can no
longer see himself. Vain fool.

“How the fuck do you do that?” I snap. “Is it like some kind
of I.V. super power?”

He chuckles. “I.V? Oh, Initial Vampire. You don’t have it
with Devon?” he asks dodging the question and somewhat delighted that I don’t
when I shake my head. “One day maybe, when you are close enough,” he throws the
insult at me casually and I slam the door back out nearly smacking him with it
in the process.

“Speaking of Devon, I should ring him. Pick something for me
to wear,” I order at him and he raises his eyebrow but does as I ask anyway.

“Finally!” Devon barks at me when he answers.

“Hello, to you too.”

“Sorry, I’ve been worried,” he mumbles.

“You okay?”

“Dandy. You?”

“Good and good. I will ring you back later when I have more
time. Just wanted to check in.”

“Make sure you do this time.”

I smile at his order. “I will, my darling boy,” I whisper
and I can sense his glow down the phone. “I love you.”

“I love you, Lizzie,” he says and it warms me up inside that
he called that.

I hang up to find CK watching me with a pained expression.
He adjusts his features quickly and clears his throat. “This one,” he says and
holds out a beautifully cut dress in black. Thin straps and low cut square
neckline with three buttons to hide or enhance your cleavage. I take it from
him and step into it. It fits perfectly and skims over my stomach and hips and
falls a couple of inches above my knees.

CK zips up the back and I spin. “Well?”

He reaches out and undoes all three of the buttons to flash
a large amount of skin. “That’s not very classy,” I say haughtily and he
chuckles.

“We are on a bit of a schedule here.”

And I concede.

I help him on with this suit jacket and it’s all very
domestic. It’s very odd, but I am happy to have my suited sire back. It’s
familiar and comforting after the upheaval of recent events.

He hands me my ring that I took off to shower. “Don’t take
it off again,” he warns me.

“I took it off to shower.”

“Don’t take it off again,” he repeats.

“Fine,” I snap as I push it back on my finger. “It’s your
millions of dollars that you ask me to mistreat.”

Ignoring my outburst he takes my hand and expecting to be
Teleported into The Council reception I am surprised when he walks me
downstairs and to the kitchens. We both stiffen when we spot the studded door
but he ignores it and greets Marguerite. She has coffee. Strong and black. It
smells delicious, even though I am normally a tea girl. His phone rings and he
answers it, leaving me alone with Marguerite as he steps out of the kitchen.

I smile politely and she is watching me closely. I raise an
eyebrow at her inspection and she looks down. “I find it odd. Seeing him like
this,” she confesses quietly.

Ooh, sounds like more juicy tidbits. She really must be
rattling around this place all on her own.

“Like what?” I press.

“Happy,” she says as if she can’t quite believe it.

Clamming up again she comments on my dress, “That looks
lovely on you. I’m glad it fits, I only had your photos to go on.”

Yep, thought as much. “Well thank you. You really didn’t
need to go shopping for me, I could have bought my own things.”

“Oh no, Mr. D’Arcangelo said you weren’t to be burdened with
luggage. It was no trouble. I enjoyed it,” she adds shyly.

Starting to feel quite sorry for this girl, who clearly
doesn’t get out much, I smile at her and say, “Well you have impeccable taste.
Maybe one day we can go together.” There is stunned silence as CK walks back
into the kitchen. “Go where together?” he asks.

“Shopping.”

He blinks slowly at me as if I am crazy for suggesting the
idea of going anywhere with the help. Christ, he can be such a snob.

“Hm. Would you like that?”

“Yes, I would,” I say firmly, looking at Marguerite who is
stock still and not breathing.

“Then the week after next when you come back to Italy, you
may meet Marguerite in Milan,” he states.

Oh may, I? Infuriating control freak.

“Why thank you, sir. How kind of you to allow me out on a
day trip,” I say sweetly with sarcasm.

His eyes snap to mine and bore into them. “Don’t push your
luck, my love,” he says quietly as I bat my eyes at him.

Huffing at me he takes my hand and kisses it, “Aefre, you
drive me crazy, but I do love you so.”

I grin at him and he grins back and Marguerite is staring at
us in utter disbelief that she has seen a caring side to her boss.

“Good day, Marguerite. We will see you later.”

“’Bye Marguerite,” I say before he Teleports us out of the
castle and into The Council for another dreaded day of schmoozing.

After a quick greeting to Giulia we head up to our offices
hand in hand. He walks me to mine and opens the door, leading me in. No sooner
have we entered the room, we are joined by Gregor.

“Constantine.” He nods at him and then turns his smile on
me, “Aefre, you look wonderful.”

“Thank you. And really you can call me Liv.” CK smirks,
pleased to be the only one allowed to call me my original name and Gregor says,
“Of course. I trust you had a good night in Milan?”

“Oh, we weren’t in Milan,” I say and leave it at that for
the sole purpose of pissing Eloise off who has also just turned up in my
doorway. She narrows her eyes at me. “And how is that gorgeous husband of
yours?” she asks meaningfully.

CK striding to my side with a look of murder after
yesterday’s revelations takes my hand and her expression turns from goading to
fury. “He is just fine, thank you, Eloise,” I say. I really want to piss her
off so I take my right hand out of CK’s and curl my arm up his back and over
his shoulder so my hand is on the top of his chest. He puts his arm around my
waist, resting his hand lightly on my hip. Being unable to see anything except
the magnificent blue diamond ring, I drum my fingers lightly and two sets of
jealous eyes go to my hand.

Eloise is looking because not only am I touching what she
wants, but what she wants is giving me expensive jewelry and Gregor because he
wants me touching him. Oh this is just too easy.

“Well, I have work to do if we could save the rest of this
meeting for another time,” I say and move away from CK and brush past Gregor on
the way to my desk. I sit and everyone is watching me with varying expressions
on their faces. Clearing my throat I say, “Meeting adjourned.” Rattled into
movement by my dismissive tone, Gregor and Eloise look to CK for instruction in
a stunned fury. He just shrugs and moves behind me to plant a quick kiss on the
top of my head before he exits my office casually. The other two follow him
with bad grace and I laugh inwardly. God, I can’t wait to sever their heads
from their bodies. Hateful creatures.

My phone buzzes and it’s a message from CK: Go to Gregor on
your own in about an hour. I will join you shortly thereafter. Xoxo

It buzzes again: PS: I think I am starting to understand
your new role. WE NEED TO TALK!

I chuckle at the shouty text and message him back: OK to the
first but don’t keep me waiting long.  Less talking, more kissing. I am worn
out with words. Xoxo

I get nothing back and I know he is annoyed with my lack of
forthcoming. It makes me jump about twenty minutes later when the phones buzzes
again: I find those acceptable terms, although I do hope that there will also
be some fucking involved?

I don’t message him back as I dislike his constant use of
the word “fucking.” Is that all we are doing? I mean sure we fuck, but last
night we also made love, a lot, and yet he never says it.

On impulse I message back: No fucking!

Radio silence. Yep, now he is pissed off but I don’t care. I
am struggling to concentrate on this work. It’s dull and I wish I were back
home with my own work, even though that is dull as well, at least it has some
purpose. All of this is going to hell in the next couple of weeks and I don’t
see the point. Sighing, I go off in search of Gregor once the hour is up. I
hope that CK doesn’t leave me swinging in the wind after my “no fucking” text.

He isn’t in his office so I wander off trying to find him. I
pause in the corridor and close my eyes. I try to bring up a mental map of the
building as it makes sense to me that the blueprints must be here in the
archives somewhere that is now stored in my head. I concentrate and I see it. I
also see where everyone is in the building. That is a handy tool. Luckily for
Eloise, she is no where near my sire. Impressed with myself, I make my way to
the library where I expect to find Gregor. It is a lovely room. I haven’t been
in here before never having been permitted. Loving books as much as I do, I
take a moment to take it all in. The indices are all in my magickally enhanced
brain so I know exactly where everything is.